Hazrat Khadija (SA): The Perfect Woman

By: Fatimah

There are only four women in the entire world who measured up to the lofty standards of real greatness and perfection set by Islam. They are:

1. Hazrat Asiya (SA), the wife of Pharaoh

2. Hazrat Maryam (SA), the mother of Esa (AS)

3. Hazrat Khadija (SA), the daughter of Khuweled

4. Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (SA), the daughter of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW)

Hazrat Khadija (SA), the holy wife of The Lord of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and the mother of The Mistress of the Ladies of the Worlds Hazrat Fatimah Zahra (SA), combined in her person all those attributes, which add up to perfection. Malikatul Arab (SA) was the ideal woman, the ideal wife for The Seal of Prophets Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), and the ideal mother.

Hazrat Khadija (SA) had a deep dedication to Islam, and love for and gratitude to Allah. She sacrificed all her wealth for Islam and stood by the side of her husband, the prophet of Islam (SAW). Holy prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) did not take another wife as long as Hazrat Khadija (SA) lived.

Muhammad bin Ishaq, the biographer of the Prophet (SAW), says that when Divine revelation was resumed after its cessation following the first two visits of Gabriel, Hazrat Khadija (SA) received a tribute and a salutation of peace from Allah Almighty. Gabriel communicated the message to Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and when he conveyed it to Hazrat Khadija (SA), her words were: “Allah is Peace, and from Him is all Peace, and may peace be on Gabriel.”

Holy prophet (SAW) forever remembered Hazrat Khadija (SA) with love, affection and gratitude. Her death filled his heart with deep pain and sorrow. Hazrat Khadija (SA) expired on the 10 Ramadan of the 10th year of the Proclamation of Islam in 619, and was laid to rest in Hujun, Makkah Mukarramah. The Messenger of Allah himself descended into her grave to lay in it for a few moments. He (SAW) smoothed the earth on her grave after the burial.

Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) had to sustain another great shock in the death of his uncle and guardian, and the bulwark of Islam, Hazrat Abu Talib (AS) one month after Hazrat Khadija (SA)’s passing away. He was overwhelmed with sorrow and grief with the expiry of two supporters and called the year of their death “Aamul Huzn - the Year of Sorrow.”